Roselee Goldberg: A Life of Movement, Art, and Courage
As the 20th anniversary of Performa, the performance art Biennial, approaches, L'OFFICIEL speaks to founder Roselee Goldberg about the past, present, and future of performance art.
RoseLee Goldberg has always known the trials, tribulations, and — most importantly — the joys of the world of art and expression. Her journey from dancer and painter to renowned art historian, curator, and educator reflects a lifelong exploration of the relationship between movement, creativity, and intellectualism.
RoseLee Goldberg’s dedication to performance art began at an early age, whether she realized it at the time or not. From a young ballet dancer and painter to becoming a pioneering art historian and the force behind New York’s biennial performance art event, Performa, Goldberg has spent her career exploring the connections between movement, art, politics, and culture.
Her story began in South Africa, where she grew up surrounded by the vibrant sounds and rhythms of Zulu culture—experiences that shaped her deep understanding of the relationship between art and society, two things that cannot be separated. “I would wake up to Zulu music on the radio and see people playing guitars as they walked down the street,” she recalls. But amid the cultural richness of Durban, Goldberg was also confronted with the harsh realities of apartheid. This duality—of beauty and oppression—fostered in her a lifelong belief in the power of art to provoke change.
Initially, Goldberg’s passion was divided between two artistic pursuits: ballet and painting. "It was always, in a way, a big conflict," she reflects. "I was dancing every day, but I was also studying fine art, drawing bodies, and painting. I was drawn to bodies in space, much like a dancer would be.” She confronted the challenge of balancing her passion for dance with the intellectual demands of studying art history, her newfound passion. “It was that moment of decision: Am I a dancer? Am I a painter? Which way am I going to go? Which takes the most courage?” Goldberg eventually decided to shift her focus to art history, embarking on graduate studies at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, throwing her into a world of history and intellectualism that she would happily stay in for years to come. “The Courtauld was like a gift to art historians—a place to think deeply about art and its history,” she says.
While studying at Courtauld, Goldberg found herself influenced by Bauhaus artist Oskar Schlemmer, whose work bridged the divide between movement and visual art — something she now realized was always connected. This interplay between mind and body fascinated her. “It’s all about what happens when the body moves through space. When you paint, you take something three-dimensional and place it on a flat surface, but when you dance, you inhabit that space.” She also saw parallels between the intellectual and the visceral, evoking the Apollonian-Dionysian duality: “Apollo was the god of intellect, and Dionysus the god of pleasure, wine, and revelry. It describes the early part of my life perfectly.”
In the 1970s, Goldberg moved to New York, drawn by the city’s radical underground arts scene. Inspired by the vibrant experimentation of artists, she became determined to create an organization that would push performance art to its fullest potential. "New York was this incredibly radical place, and I felt the need to focus on artists—not the market," she says. This drive culminated in the founding of Performa in 2004, which Goldberg envisioned not as a traditional biennial tied to museums or tourism bureaus but as an artist-centered platform for innovative performance.
Launching Performa with little funding, Goldberg leaned into collaboration, assembling a diverse team and engaging with artists and organizations across the city. "We knew from the start we were going to operate at the highest level of excellence, no matter what," she says. “Art has the power to change people, and those of us privileged to work within this world have a responsibility to engage with the issues around us.”
Over the years, Goldberg has watched performance art evolve, reflecting and challenging societal norms. “There’s no finish line,” she says. You can look across disciplines, but you’ll never know it all.” Despite the challenges of working in a constantly changing art world—something Goldberg happily welcomes—she remains committed to fostering adventurous, high-quality work that speaks to the complexities of our time.
For Goldberg, the essence of Performa lies in collaboration and courage—qualities that have defined her life and work, learning these values early in life while in South Africa.
“There was a saying in South Africa,” She explains. “I don’t remember it exactly in Zulu, but it was, “If you touch a woman, you strike a rock.” I think there was always a very strong sense of African women growing up, a strong sense of women being protesters in South Africa." So, leading the charge of everything that is Performa seemed obvious for her, no matter how hard.
When asked about founding Performa, Goldberg recalled its spontaneous beginnings: “One day, I told my assistant at NYU, ‘We’re going to do a biennial.’ She just nodded, ‘Uh-huh, okay.’” But behind that offhand moment was a clear vision: “I needed to refocus on artists themselves, on performance at its highest potential—work that has nothing to do with the marketplace.”
Goldberg’s life has been one of constant physical and intellectual movement. From the ballet studio to the art gallery and from South Africa to London and New York, she has built a career on the belief that art is not just a product but a way of being in the world. Through Performa, she has ensured that performance art continues to thrive as a vital and courageous practice, reaffirming her conviction that art is, at its core, about ideas, connection, and the courage to create without compromise.
Performa will celebrate its 20th anniversary tonight with a special gala hosted by Goldberg at Water Street Arts. Last-minute tickets for the 20th Anniversary Artist Party are available here.
